Jermey Oliver's 2011 Wine of the Year
It’s a mistake to ask a winemaker what their best vintage is, (the answer is bound to be the one that is just about to come out!) but the 2009 vintage in Canberra is worthy of your attention. In terms of pure quality, I put it on par with the 2007, without the drawback of miniscule yields.
Coming off the plentiful 2008 vintage the vines set low to moderate crops. We had good rains in spring and early summer.
A blistering February produced impressive maximum temperatures in the high thirties. Murrumbateman’s continentality worked in our favour: 15-to-20-degree temperature drops at night enabled the vines to recoup, and importantly, hang on to precious natural acid. March settled down to warm but not extreme conditions.
For red grapes, it is hard to imagine better conditions.
The aromas really do leap out of the glass. Complex, ripe fruit characters woven through the classic Canberra spice. The tannin structure seems to take on an extra level of finesse in 2009. The natural intensity of these wines makes them excellent candidates for the cellar. I don’t doubt they will take some years to reveal their full glory.
A potent aroma of ripe fruit; dark, intense and very pure; violets and summer berries; roast meats and complex spice notes. In the mouth there is loads of extract, black fruit, classic savoury spice and persistent, mouth-coating tannins. A warm-hearted, black diamond of a wine. Cellar for twenty years if you so desire. – Tim Kirk
SV batches picked from March 22 to April 7. Moderate yields. 5% Viognier, 22% whole bunches.
The 2009 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier is a benchmark Australian cool-climate Shiraz and one of the country’s most influential Rhône-inspired wines. Produced by Clonakilla in the Canberra District, this iconic blend showcases the estate’s signature style of perfume, spice, elegance, and savoury complexity.
Inspired by the great wines of Côte-Rôtie in France’s Northern Rhône, Clonakilla co-ferments Shiraz with a small proportion of Viognier, enhancing aromatic lift, texture, and finesse. The 2009 vintage delivered exceptional conditions for slow and even ripening, producing fruit with remarkable intensity, balance, and structural harmony.
Fruit was hand-harvested and fermented with careful extraction to preserve fragrance and detail. The inclusion of Viognier contributes floral aromatics and silkiness to the palate, while maturation in French oak barrels builds depth and complexity without overpowering the wine’s delicate structure.
Now with significant bottle age, the wine reveals an intricate bouquet of blackberry, dark cherry, and plum layered with notes of white pepper, spice, dried herbs, olive tapenade, smoked meat, and violet perfume. The palate is medium-bodied yet intensely flavoured, with silky tannins, vibrant acidity, and a long, savoury finish that reflects both maturity and cool-climate finesse.
Drinking beautifully now with careful decanting, the 2009 Clonakilla Shiraz Viognier remains a compelling example of Australia’s finest cool-climate Shiraz and may continue to evolve gracefully under ideal cellaring conditions.
A legendary Australian wine for collectors seeking elegance, aromatic complexity, and mature Rhône-inspired character.
